Need some help from the Stag guys..

[Camo]

Basically nowhere can beat this forum for tech advice and sheer knowledge, thats a Fact, so with that in mind I have to explain my problem..



Series 1 Damiler Sovereign 4.2

I had it running yesturday fine, drove out of the garage and thought I would change the pitted dizzy cap and ht leads over to push in.

Would not start after tjhis so put it all back as it was, still nothing..

I get spark at the plug and fuel to the carbs.. I think its related to the automatic choke this spits plumes of vapour out while cranking but makes no effort to fire or run. I think its given up, it wasn't great anyway...

Also I am sure I saw some water in the oil, but I keep checking it and have found no more, could a head gasket fail cause my problems ?

Sparks plugs are dry when removed so it seems no petrolo is getting to them as I would expect them to be wet after the amount of cranking I have done..

Any advice is welcome.

I intend to get all new ht leads, coil, ballast resistor etc as its need servicing.

Thanks

Stu

[V Mad]

imported post

If it was running fine then its not going to be head gasket. Check the HT leads are correctly connected. Thendouble check it. So easy to make a mistake.

Did you see that Boyd Coddington got it wrong on every car he builtin his TV series? (Quest channel 7pm).

[GDPR]

imported post

Sounds like the firing order is wrong - should be 153624 - No1 cylinder is the rearmost not the front.

Turn engine to TDC on the crank pulley timing mark and check the rotor position - that will either be 1 or 6 so fit your leads, with the correct direction of rotation of the distributor (if I remember from my old Series 1 XJ that is anti-clockwise) assuming that the rotor is pointing at No1.

If that still results in spits and farts then the rotor was at No6 so rejig your leads and you should be away.

Russ:dude:

[Camo]

imported post

Thanks guys I will try that, problem right now is I have a proper dose of manflu... so bad that I don't want to work on the car....weather is soo beautiful too



Boyd always gets something wrong !

I am going to go back to points too as I think I may have a fried electronic ignition module...



Stu

[Stagdad]

imported post

Got my order completely wrong when i refitted the engine .Got no2 ok then went clockwise:?

I got 2 megabackfires out of it and had no exhaust at the time:shock:

Cheers Steve

[Camo]

imported post

Well it seems even manflu can't stop the desire to tinker and solve problems, thanks to your suggestions I noticed that the rotor arm was not pointing where it was meant to when at TDC, took it off and found the little plastic bit inside had broken off and thus making the rotor arm chose its own firing order.

changed back to the original and away we go.

Thanks so much for the responses, this Fourm IS the place to be for knowledge,

Again though it was a new part that failed !

Stu

BTW I still have the Stag

[Camo]

imported post

Ok next issue, this I am sure is not what is meant to be happening, this breather pipe sits between the air filter housing and the front of the cylinder head.

seems a mixture of oil and water imho !

Also when I turn off the engine I lost a load of water from the expansion tank overflow pipe, a good few pints...

I am still thinking head gasket ? as water should not be getting where it is...

Stu

[Stag Andy]

imported post

I feel that it is a head gasket and any DECENT garage should be able to do a check for you,unless you have the kit to do so yourself.
BTW you have my favourite car of all time,you lucky man.

[milothedog]

imported post

Sorry to say it doe's look like the head gaskets given up. only proper way is to use a block tester on it. try letting it tick over with the cap off on the engine, if you see continuous bubbling that would almost certainly be Head gasket.

Ian.

[GDPR]

imported post

milothedog wrote:

Sorry to say it doe's look like the head gaskets given up. only proper way is to use a block tester on it. try letting it tick over with the cap off on the engine, if you see continuous bubbling that would almost certainly be Head gasket.

Ian.

Can I be a gloomy kryten and ask you to be prepared to find serious problems........

The series 1 6 cylinder 4.2 lump from the Sovereign and XJ6 had a nasty habit of cracking the block between the cylinders - mine did it and I have known many others do the same. Symptoms are identical to head gasket but a damn sight more expensive as the block is scrap.

My fingers are crossed for you.

Russ

[Camo]

imported post

Thanks guys, I am clinging on to the idea that maybe it had a blown gasket before and it was fixed but they didn't clean out that pipe and the warm vapour has pushed it along.... yes straws and clutching springs to mind !!



They are wonderful cars Ian, I am having a midlife crisis and decided to get back into Jaguars as I gave tehm up when kids came along...

Sorry Russ but I am ignoring your comment

Cheers,

Stu

[GDPR]

imported post

Camo wrote:

Sorry Russ but I am ignoring your comment

Cheers,

Stu

So you are pooh-pooing me? Next you'll be pooh-pooing the pooh-poo........aaahh bollox....its already been done enough on another thread. .....

[Camo]

imported post

Great news, had a compression test today, no anomolies (sp) so no issues with the head gasket, after much forum searching it been decided that the gunk is from condensation after a period of lay up. I've cleaned out the breather pipe and replaced the filter gauze so should see no more of it.

After a good service and some minor gasket renewal the car is driving very sweet now, thanks for the help.

Stu

[andy p]

imported post

1 question,

why is your number plate plynth on upside down on the stag

[andy p]

imported post

also forgot to say they do look pukka sitting there